Psalms 49
49
Psalm 49
For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
1Listen to this, all you people.
Open your ears, all who live in the world—
2common people and important ones,
rich people and poor ones.
3My mouth will speak wise sayings,
the insights I have carefully considered.
4I will turn my attention to a proverb.
I will explain my riddle with the ⌞music of⌟ a lyre.
5Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when slanderers surround me with evil?
6They trust their riches
and brag about their abundant wealth.
7No one can ever buy back another person
or pay God a ransom for his life.
8The price to be paid for his soul is too costly.
He must always give up
9in order to live forever and never see the pit.
10Indeed, one can see that wise people die,
that foolish and stupid people meet the same end.
They leave their riches to others.
11Although they named their lands after themselves,
their graves #49:11 Greek, Syriac, Targum; Masoretic Text “their insides.” have become their homes for ages to come,
their dwelling places throughout every generation.
12But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure.
They are like animals that die.
13This is the final outcome for fools and their followers
who are delighted by what they say: Selah
14Like sheep, they are driven to hell
with death as their shepherd.
(Decent people will rule them in the morning.)
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far away from their comfortable homes.
15But God will buy me back from the power of hell
because he will take me. Selah
16Do not be afraid when someone becomes rich,
when the greatness of his house increases.
17He will not take anything with him when he dies.
His greatness cannot follow him.
18Even though he blesses himself while he is alive
(and they praise you when you do well for yourself),
19he must join the generation of his ancestors,
who will never see light ⌞again⌟.
20Mortals, with what they treasure, still don’t have understanding.
They are like animals that die.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Psalms 49
49
Misplaced Trust in Wealth
For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit the world, # Ps 78:1; Mc 1:2
2both low and high, # Lit both sons of Adam and sons of man
rich and poor together. # Ps 62:9
3My mouth speaks wisdom;
my heart’s meditation brings understanding. # Ps 37:30
4I turn my ear to a proverb;
I explain my riddle with a lyre. # Nm 12:8; Mt 13:35
5Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. # Ps 23:4; 27:1
6They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches. # Jb 31:24; Ps 52:7; Pr 11:28
7Yet these cannot redeem a person # Or Certainly he cannot redeem himself, or Yet he cannot redeem a brother
or pay his ransom to God # Jb 36:18-19; Mt 25:8-9 —
8since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying # Or costly, it will cease forever # Mt 16:26 —
9so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit. # Jb 33:28; Ps 16:10
10For one can see that wise men die;
foolish and stupid men also pass away. # Ec 2:16
Then they leave their wealth to others. # Ps 39:6; Ec 2:18-19; Lk 12:20
11Their graves are their eternal homes, # LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Their inner thought is that their houses are eternal
their homes from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves. # Ps 5:9; 10:6
12But despite his assets, # Or honor man will not last;
he is like the animals that perish. # Ec 3:19
13This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words. # Lit and after them with their mouth they were pleased # Ps 31:23; Pr 16:18; 21:24Selah
14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning, # Rv 2:26
and their form will waste away in Sheol, # Hb obscure
far from their lofty abode. # Jb 24:19; Ps 9:17
15But God will redeem my life
from the power of Sheol,
for He will take me. # Ps 16:10; 56:13; Hs 13:14Selah
16Do not be afraid when a man gets rich,
when the wealth # Or glory of his house increases. # Ps 37:7
17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth # Or glory will not follow him down. # Jb 27:19; Ps 17:14; 1Tm 6:7
18Though he praises himself during his lifetime —
and people praise you when you do well for yourself # Dt 29:19; Ps 10:3,6 —
19he will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see the light. # Gn 15:15; Jb 33:30; Ps 56:13
20A man with valuable possessions # Or with honor
but without understanding
is like the animals that perish. # Ec 3:19
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